TRANSFER TRACKER:Transfer
Japanese forward Yuya Kubo has been signed by FC Cincinnati as a Designated Player after being acquired via transfer from Belgian club KAA Gent, the club announced Thursday.
Kubo, 26, is set to occupy an international roster spot and will join FC Cincinnati’s roster after his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate are received. They're expected to arrive when the Primary Transfer Window opens Feb. 12.
“We are delighted to add a proven offensive player in the form of Yuya Kubo to our roster,” FC Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp said in a statement. “We’ve made it a priority to bring impact players to Cincinnati and we believe Yuya’s versatility as an attacking player will be a great addition to our current group.”
The Orange and Blue were linked with Kubo earlier this week, and reports suggest he'll be the first of at least two DPs bound for Cincy this offseason. Aside from playing for Gent, Kubo has featured for Kyoto Sanga in his home country, BSC Young Boys in Switzerland and German Bundesliga club Nurnberg.
To date, he has 303 career appearances, while scoring 86 goals and adding 23 assists across 10 professional seasons. Kubo has made 13 appearances at the international level, scoring twice and adding two assists.
"I’m excited to join an ambitious club in FC Cincinnati," Kubo said. "This will be a great experience for me as I am looking for a new exciting chapter in my professional career."
FC Cincinnati are entering their first full season under head coach Ron Jans, and will be looking to shake off the doldrums of a 2019 expansion campaign that saw them finish bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Cincy will begin their 2020 campaign March 1 at the New York Red Bulls.
